Airports In Alaska: A Comprehensive Overview

Alaska is a vast state with a small population and a lot of wilderness. This means that most of its communities are not served by roads, and air travel is often the only way to get around. Because of this, Alaska has a lot of airports relative to its population, with roughly one airport for every 50 towns. There are 281 public airports, including 91 airports that provide both commercial and general aviation services, 190 general aviation/public-use airports, and hundreds of private-use airports and seaplane bases.

Alaska's challenging topography

Alaska is one of the most mountainous states in the US and, along with California, has the highest relief. Denali, formerly known as Mt. McKinley, at 6194 meters (20,322 feet), is commonly accessed by climbers and other tourists from the nearby town of Talkeetna (elevation 106 meters [348 feet]). This represents a difference of more than 6000 meters (almost 20,000 feet) within less than 96 kilometers (60 miles). However, there are two non-mountainous areas of Alaska: the North Slope and the Interior. Much of Alaska’s topography can be explained by its odd origins: continental Alaska is made up almost entirely of accreted terranes—bits and pieces of microcontinents and island arcs that collided together over geologic time.

The formation of the North Slope and the Brooks Range can be attributed to the Yukon-Tanana terrane colliding with a part of Arctic Canada that rifted away, rotating counterclockwise into its current position. The leading edge of the Yukon-Tanana's ancient seabed was uplifted, resulting in the Brooks Range, while the trailing edge subsided. The Brooks Range shed vast amounts of sediment northward, forming the coastal plain of the North Slope. The Brooks Range is highest in the east, consisting primarily of thrust sheets: enormous slabs of rock piled atop each other due to the compressional forces acting on the rotating crust.

The Seward Peninsula, a remnant of the Bering land bridge that once connected Alaska to Siberia during the Pleistocene epoch, extends from northwestern Alaska. The Seward Peninsula is composed of two terranes: the Seward terrane, predominantly composed of metamorphic rock, and the York terrane, made up of sedimentary rocks deposited in a shallow marine environment before their accretion onto the North American plate. These sedimentary rocks were deformed by thrust faulting during the Cretaceous period.

The Interior of Alaska is a vast expanse of flat, swampy areas and low, rolling hills. The geological origin of this region remains unclear due to the limited exposure of its bedrock. However, it is known to contain fragments of what was once the ocean floor. These rocks are highly susceptible to erosion because the minerals they contain weather more easily. The low topography of the area likely results from a combination of easily eroded rocks and an incomplete collision between the Brooks Range and terranes south of the Interior. Additionally, the basin has been filled with significant amounts of sediment from the Brooks Range, Alaska Range, and the Yukon River.

Southern Alaska is composed of numerous terranes that have been added to North America since the Late Triassic, approximately 230 million years ago. These terranes not only collided with each other but were also pulled apart by significant faults resulting from changing plate motions between the North American and Pacific plates. The Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains, for instance, are mostly composed of a large terrane called Wrangellia, which collided with North America during the Cretaceous and has been cut by large faults.

The challenging topography of Alaska has resulted in a unique transportation situation. Due to the small population, vast wilderness areas, and lack of road infrastructure, many towns are only accessible by airplane or ship. Consequently, Alaska has the most airports per capita in the country, with nearly one out of every 50 airports serving approximately one out of every 400 Americans. Anchorage International Airport, located near the state's largest city, is the only medium hub airport in Alaska, while there are 26 small hub and non-hub airports.

Air travel in Alaska

Alaska has an extensive network of airports. This is due to the state's challenging topography, with mountains that go from sea level to 20,000 feet within 50 miles, and the fact that most of Alaska is rural and fewer than 20% of its communities are served by roads. Consequently, air travel is often the only way to get around, and airports are a vital link for access to food, mail, schools and medical services.

There are 774 airports in Alaska, including public and private airports. There are 281 public airports, with 91 airports that provide both commercial and general aviation services, 190 general aviation/public-use airports, and hundreds of private-use airports and seaplane bases. Alaska has by far the most airports per capita in the US, with roughly 1 out of every 50 airports in the country.

The biggest airport in Alaska is Anchorage Airport, the only medium-hub airport in the state. There are also 26 small hub and non-hub airports. All the bigger airports, like Anchorage and Fairbanks Airport, can handle all airplane sizes. Alaska Airlines is the most common carrier, but there are also other, regional airlines such as Warbelow’s Air Ventures and RavnAir operating at Alaska airports.

Summer flying weather is generally good with long daylight hours, but it’s possible to encounter icing conditions year-round. Many of Alaska’s runways are gravel and not lighted, and fuel planning must be accurate because airports are separated by great distances.

Commercial and general aviation services

Alaska has an extensive network of airports. There are 281 public airports, with 91 airports providing commercial and general aviation services.

Due to Alaska's topography, with vast areas of wilderness and many towns that are not accessible by road, air travel is often the only way to get around. Virtually every town in Alaska has an airport. This means that Alaska has the most airports per capita in the country, with roughly one out of every 50 airports in the US being in Alaska.

The majority of Alaska is rural, and fewer than 20% of its communities are served by roads. As a result, airports are a vital link for access to essential services such as food, mail, schools, and medical care.

• Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport: This is a medium-hub airport located 8 km southwest of Anchorage. It serves as a hub for Alaska Airlines, PenAir, and RavnAir. In addition to domestic flights, it offers seasonal departures to some European destinations.
• Fairbanks International Airport: Fairbanks International Airport serves the city of Fairbanks in Central Alaska and is located about 9 km from the city centre. It is a hub for EvertsAir and Warbelow’s Air and also offers flights by major airlines like United and Delta.
• Juneau International Airport: Located in Southern Alaska, about 12.5 km from Juneau, this airport offers mostly regional flights operated by Alaska Airlines and (seasonally) Delta Airlines. Seattle is the most well-connected city with Juneau Airport.
• Bethel Airport: This airport is located near the city of Bethel and is served by Alaska Airlines, Grant Aviation, and RavnAir.
• Ketchikan International Airport: Ketchikan Airport is located just 2 km from the city of Ketchikan. It is served by Alaska Airlines and Delta Connection.
• Kenai Municipal Airport: Kenai Municipal Airport is situated only 1.5 km from the city of Kenai. It is served by Grant Aviation and RavnAir.
• Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport: Also known as Sitka Airport, it is located 2 km from the city of Sitka. This airport is served by Alaska Airlines and Delta Connection.
• Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport: Often referred to as Kodiak Airport, it is located 7 km from Kodiak. Airlines serving this airport include Alaska Airlines, Island Air Service, and ServantAir.
• Ralph Wien Memorial Airport: Also known as Kotzebue Airport, it is located just 0.5 km from Kotzebue. Alaska Airlines, BeringAir, and RavnAir all serve this airport.
• Nome Airport: Found 3 km from Nome, this airport is served by Alaska Airlines, BeringAir, and Ryan Air.
• Prudhoe Airport: Also known as Deadhorse Airport, it is located 5 km from Prudhoe Bay. It is served by Alaska Airlines and RavnAir.
• Barrow Wiley Post–Will Rogers Airport: This airport serves the city of Barrow and offers flights by Alaska Airlines and RavnAir.

In addition to these larger airports, there are numerous smaller airports throughout Alaska that provide essential commercial and general aviation services to remote communities. These airports play a crucial role in connecting Alaskans to the rest of the state and the country.

Private-use airports and seaplane bases

Alaska has a large number of airports per capita, with around 1 out of every 50 airports in the United States. This is due to the state's unique geography and demographics: much of Alaska is uninhabited and undeveloped wilderness, with many towns that are only accessible by airplane or ship. As a result, almost every town in Alaska has an airport.

There are 774 airports in Alaska, both public and private. Private-use airports and seaplane bases are those that are not open for public use but may be notable for other reasons, such as previously being open for public use or having commercial enplanements recorded by the FAA.

There are several private-use airports in Alaska, including:

• Akiachak Airport (also Akiachak Seaplane Base)
• Akutan Airport (also Akutan Seaplane Base)
• Aleknagik Airport (also Aleknagik Seaplane Base)
• Anaktuvuk Pass Airport
• Arctic Village Airport
• Atqasuk Edward Burnell Sr. Memorial Airport
• Brevig Mission Airport
• Chandalar Shelf Airport
• Chandalar Lake Airport
• Clear Airport / Clear Space Force Station
• Kodiak Municipal Airport
• Lake Hood Seaplane Base (also Lake Hood Airstrip)
• Manley Hot Springs Airport
• Minto Al Wright Airport (formerly Minto Airport)
• Mountain Village Airport
• Palmer Municipal Airport
• Pilot Station Airport
• Port Protection Seaplane Base
• Stony River 2 Airport
• Whale Pass Seaplane Float Harbor Facility
• White Mountain Airport

In addition to these private-use airports, there are also a number of seaplane bases in Alaska. Seaplane bases are a type of water aerodrome where seaplanes (aircraft that can take off and land on water) can operate. Seaplane bases typically consist of a ramp or floating dock for seaplanes to moor, as well as fuel and other services.

Some of the seaplane bases in Alaska include:

• Akiachak Seaplane Base
• Akutan Seaplane Base
• Aleknagik Seaplane Base
• Angoon Seaplane Base
• Beaver Lake Seaplane Base
• Bethel Seaplane Base
• Cape Pole Seaplane Base
• Chignik Bay Seaplane Base
• Coffman Cove Seaplane Base
• Elfin Cove Seaplane Base
• Excursion Inlet Seaplane Base
• Golden Horn Lodge Seaplane Base
• Hollis Clark Bay Seaplane Base
• Hoonah Seaplane Base
• Hydaburg Seaplane Base
• Kitoi Bay Seaplane Base
• Kodiak/Lilly Lake Seaplane Base
• Lake Louise Seaplane Base
• Metlakatla Seaplane Base
• Moser Bay Seaplane Base
• Newtok Seaplane Base
• Olga Bay Seaplane Base
• Pelican Seaplane Base
• Port Alexander Seaplane Base
• Saginaw Seaplane Base
• San Juan (Uganik) Seaplane Base
• Whale Pass Seaplane Float Harbor Facility Seaplane Base
• Willow Seaplane Base
• Wrangell Seaplane Base
• Zachar Bay Seaplane Base

Alaska's busiest airports

Due to Alaska's sparse population and large area of wilderness, most towns are inaccessible by road and can only be reached by plane. This means that Alaska has the most airports per capita in the US, with roughly one out of every 50 airports in the US found in Alaska.

Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is the only medium-hub airport in Alaska, with around 5 million passengers annually. Located 8km southwest of Anchorage, it is a hub for Alaska Airlines, PenAir, and RavnAir. The airport offers domestic flights and seasonal departures to some European destinations.

Fairbanks International Airport is a small hub airport serving the city of Fairbanks in Central Alaska. Located 9km from the city centre, it serves around 1 million passengers annually. Fairbanks is a hub for EvertsAir and Warbelow’s Air and also offers flights by major airlines like United and Delta.

Juneau International Airport is situated in Southern Alaska, about 12.5km from Juneau. The airport serves around 500,000 passengers annually, offering mostly regional flights operated by Alaska Airlines and (seasonally) Delta Airlines.

Bethel Airport is located 6.5km from the nearby city of Bethel. The airport serves as a hub for Alaska Airlines, Grant Aviation, and RavnAir.

Ketchikan International Airport is just 2km from the city of Ketchikan. The airport is served by Alaska Airlines and Delta Connection.

Kenai Municipal Airport is 1.5km from Kenai and is served by Grant Aviation and RavnAir.

Other busy airports in Alaska include Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport, Kodiak Benny Benson State Airport, Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, and Petersburg James A. Johnson Airport.

Frequently asked questions